A Banshee's Hidden Ability
by mbarker8
Summary: Lydia has been released from Eichen House and now has a task on hand, bring back someone from her past to defeat the Dread Doctors. With the help of the pack, everyone's favorite banshee is ready to attempt the impossible, bring the dead back to life *Basically how I want 5b to go. Test chapter (middle of story) to check for interest*
1. Eichen House

Lydia Martin laid silently facing the Nemeton. Her face was frozen, she couldn't speak, and her body felt like jelly. The nape of her neck, where Theo had forced his claws inside of her, violating her mind, seared with such an intense pain that she'd scream if she could. She knew what had happened and all she could do was wait for someone to find her.

She thought about Scott. How she felt claws dig inside of her and twist. The pain was unbearable and she knew that he was gone. Even if he was only gone for a short while, Lydia felt the pain of knowing that another person, a friend, had died because she failed them. Scott had never let Lydia down and always trusted her no matter how crazy she sounded. I vowed to do my best to protect them. I swore to Allison at her funeral that I wouldn't let another die if I could help it. She should've listened to Stiles' warnings but Theo saved her life. He felt so trustworthy, and Scott died because I let my guard down. I failed my friends. Scott must hate me.

"I found her!" A masculine voice shouted from behind Lydia. Leaves crunched as footsteps came rushing over to her.

"What the hell happened? Is she dead? Why is she by a huge tree stump?" Another voice came, this one female.

Fingers touched Lydia's neck. They were definitely masculine and cold. Lydia cringed on the inside, still shaken from the last time someone grabbed her neck. "How am I supposed to know what happened? It's not like I was here! We were sent to get her, that's all I know… Her pulse is strong." The male replied. Flashing a light into her eyes as he continued. "She's not responsive. The best we can do is take her back to Eichen. He wants to see her." He? He who? Why Eichen? Questions swirled through Lydia's mind as she laid there, frozen, panicking.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm just glad that I don't have to wander these woods looking for this spoiled brat again. I mean seriously, who comes out this far, we've must've hiked miles." Hands wrapped around Lydia's body and she was up in the air, her body felt like jelly; she couldn't move no matter how hard she pushed herself, but was limp as she crumbled in the man's arms. Then, she was off, the Nemeton fading into the distance. For a split second, something flashed by the Nemeton, something that didn't just look familiar but felt like she knew it.

* * *

Arriving at Eichen House, Lydia could feel the terror inside of her fight for control so she could flee but nothing seemed to take root. Is this what happens if alphas miss? It was such a horrible, indescribable feeling to be fully aware mentally without the ability to control your body. As the arms picked her up again, she caught a glimpse at the sky, it was definitely early afternoon. The sun felt incredible on her skin, and Lydia had the feeling that she better absorb as much as possible, that she'd be here for a while.

The woman opened the doors and she was back. It felt like she could never escape the place where she was almost murdered by the man who killed her grandmother, the place where she almost lost Stiles, where Meredith "died" because she had driven her insane; the place that felt like death was in every corner of every room, slowly closing in on some unsuspecting victim. Further and further back Lydia went, slowly creeping up on the secret floor for supernatural creatures.

"The Lydia Martin," a familiar voice boomed, "just the banshee I wanted to see." The arms plopped Lydia on an exam table.

"We're pretty sure she's catatonic, sir," the female voice informed the man who had to be her superior. "She was lying by a huge tree stump."

"Well obviously she's catatonic, why do you think I sent you?" the voice replied, this time peering over her. Lydia was in complete shock, standing right before her was the man who everyone considers the most dangerous supernatural creature here, Dr. Valack. The shock, elicited a response from her body. For just a split second, Lydia was able to move her foot. One small twitch, then she was frozen again. Dr. Valack continued, "Look at her neck Cross! That is just unacceptable. I can't believe a wolf would be so careless when entering another's conscience!"

"What are we going to do with her Doctor?" The male asked.

"What we're meant to do with patients, cure them. Schrader, get a room in order for her." Valack barked.

"Yes sir." Schrader responded and was gone.

"Why are you wasting your time with her? She's obviously in a state of catatonia. Drugs will take months and people would definitely come looking by then. Electroshock Therapy is the best way to help her the fastest, but that's not exactly socially acceptable."

"I'm helping here because I need her." Valack replied, "Now, check her vitals then get her settled in. I want therapy first thing in the morning." And with that, he walked out of the room and Lydia was left with the woman named Cross.

* * *

"Again." Valack said. Nurse Cross pushed the button and another electric shock rippled through Lydia's body. The pain was horrible. She could feel her body jerk as the currents filled her and left. She sat there, unable to scream, hating Valack even more with each pulse. Valack seemed to enjoy it on some level and Schrader definitely loved watching her body convulse, giggling like a school girl with each current.

Lydia was on day four of therapy and the shocks just kept growing in intensity. At least I can use my basic motor functions again, Lydia thought, knowing that as long as she showed signs of improving that she was fine. At first, the shocks were nothing, just a little pulse through her body, kind of tingling and tickling at the same time. However, that quickly changed. On day three, Valack had Cross rev the shocks up because she was taking too long for his liking. Unfortunately and fortunately, Lydia seemed to recover so form of basic motor functions after. She could stand on her own and walk as long as someone guided and pushed her body along. Valack seemed to have an aura of urgency around him as he pushed his staff to increase her shocks. It's as if he needs me to get better now, the thought flickered through Lydia's mind before another shock raced through her body.

"Doctor, any more electricity and she could suffer serious damage." Cross advised, "It's amazing that she could even handle this much. I don't think we should continue for today."

"I think she can take another, don't you Doctor?" Schrader inquired, the gleam in his eyes giving away the joy he was feeling.

"No, Cross is right. Let her shower and then put her back in the room to rest." Valack ordered and once again Schrader helped her stand up, and pushed her forward so that her body knew to walk. This time something felt different. Her usual limp body became rigid, it felt as if something inside of her was fighting to break free, as if some part of her knew something critical. For a few seconds, Lydia was able to walk on her own. Having control over her body was enough to make Lydia feel like she had won the lottery, but then her body went limp again, ending the first bit of joy Lydia felt in days.

"Schrader, did you feel that?" Cross gasped.

"What?"

"She moved on her own then stopped. She must have been cured earlier today and is faking it now!" Cross squealed.

"Don't go running to Valack just yet." Schrader warned, "Let her reveal herself. Tomorrow, shock her so hard it'll kill." Lydia could feel the anticipation Schrader had at his idea. "If she is faking, she'll stop us before we do anything too extreme."

"So? If she loses it before we do, then she she'll tell Valack that we knew." Cross shot back.

"Your point?" Schrader tightened his grip on Lydia to the point where she'd scream if she could. The thought of being shocked to death reminded her of Mexico, where she finally admitted to herself that she had feelings for Stiles. I can't believe I didn't see it coming… she reminisced about being so frustrated at his stupid jeep. Why did they have to take that thing? It was falling apart, and her car could've fit all of them so much more comfortably. When it broke she so terrified and angry with him, it took all of her strength not to beat him with that wrench.

Painfully hot water prickled Lydia's skin. THAT BITCH! This is literally burning me. If only I could move, if only I could fight… scream. Just one scream and Scott would find me. If only I could just hit her. She won't get away with this. Her thoughts felt as if they were racing through her mind. Her fantasy of beating Cross to a pulp was interrupted when she felt a hand on her back, pulling on her body to make her move. However, this time something happened. She moved her eyes. She moved them on her own, something she hadn't done in days. The strange feeling inside of her had only intensified in the shower and Lydia felt as if it was eating her alive.

Slowly, she was dressed and they made their way to her bed. After countless trips around Eichen, she knew just about every corridor. It wasn't like there was much else she could but pay attention to where she was going.

"Up her dosage 3 mils," Cross instructed, "I'm so tired of this act, if she wants to continue to play this game, let's make sure her role is perfect." She snickered to herself, then closed the door and made her way back down the hall. Panic seared through Lydia, 3 mils? They've been giving me amantadine. That's not it! No! Please, I'm not faking. Please, NO! The needle entered her arm.

"Oops, missed a vein. Silly me." Schrader whispered. How long has he been talking? "Let me try again." He plunged the needle back in her arm and dug around. Nothing could ever describe what Lydia felt in that moment. The pain of the needle digging inside of her arm, the burning sensation pulsating throughout her body from every fiber of her being screaming for her to make the pain stop, to move. "I'm sorry Lydia, I'm gonna have to go for a bigger vein." The joyful glint in his eyes made Lydia sick. He pulled the needle out of her skin and moved to her neck. "Now, this is more like it." He grinned and plunged the needle inside of her…

As he started to push the syringe down, something inside of her snapped. Instead of whatever drug he had entering her body, black blood pushed it back into the syringe. Every part of her body throbbed with some type of pain as images flashed through her mind of her friends, each one indistinguishable and more gruesome than the last. Lydia could feel a friend in each image, more importantly, she couldn't feel their life…. They were all dead.

Panic raced through her blood and her lungs began to ache with the burning desire to scream. The voices she always followed went from a slight whisper to screaming, LIAM. THEO. MALIA. HAYDEN. SCOTT. KIRA. MASON. LYDIA…. STILES. Once she heard his name, something snapped and Lydia could no longer hold back her scream. As it burst out of her lungs, it felt different.

Lydia's blood-curdling scream filled her cell of a room, allowing her to gain control of her body as if a spell had been broken. She didn't just feel the liberation of her once frozen limbs, but she felt… Powerful. Something else was happening inside of her, something that felt incredible. The sound she was making shattered the glass around the light in her room. Before the orderly could recover, Lydia bolted out of her bed. Scott. STILES. Have to warn them, warn Stiles.

Two orderlies started to rush her from opposite ends of the hallway. Seriously? I'm a banshee bitch. It was definitely time for some payback. Lydia steadied herself, drawing on the hours of training with Parrish, and attacked. Lydia rushed the first guard, catching him by surprise. She pushed him back, then, with all the energy she could muster, slammed into his side with her right leg. With him doubled-down, Lydia wrapped her legs around his neck and spun him around onto his back, leaving him unconscious. The other guard was just barely starting down the hall when she turned around. All of a sudden, her body told her to scream. When she opened her mouth and let loose, her scream was different. It felt deeper, as if coming from a different place. As she went to push him away, ripples of what looked like raw energy cascaded through the air, sending the guard flying across the hall with nothing but shards of broken glass in his path. No time to question. Need to leave. There were no guards in the hallways yet, giving Lydia a clear shot to the door.

Bursting through the front doors, Lydia could feel the rain pour down on her, cleansing her body of Eichen. Running to the gate that trapped her, three security guards came from out of nowhere, surrounding her with taser rods. Incredibly irritated, Lydia turned to face them. The first guard ran towards Lydia, and she met him with a flat-footed kick that was somehow amplified by her new scream, sending him flying backwards. Turning around, Lydia had just enough time to dodge the rod of the second guard, then grabbed his arm and held him there. Meanwhile, the third guard tried to shock her from the other side, only to be met with ripples of energy that sent him flying backwards. She then turned to her attention back to the second guard. Lydia spun his wrist the same way cops do to disarm someone, then shoved her hand towards his chest and gave one final scream.

Saatisfied with herself, Lydia began to run towards the gate, then stopped dead in her tracks. Standing in her path was someone who was gone. He's dead… but there he stood plain as day. "Aiden?" Lydia whispered, fear and disbelief mixing together. How can you be here?

"Sorry Lydia, but you're not leaving yet. You're treatment isn't finished." He smiled, then, at the base of her back, a taser slammed into her, sending electricity through her body. Then, the other two grabbed onto her and all three of them tased her once more, the pain of each shock amplified by the rain. The jolts of electricity seemed to weaken the supernatural part of her.

As she struggled, unable to scream, Lydia pleaded with the guards. "Please. They're all going to die. All of my friends, dead. Please. I just want to warn them. I have to warn them." With each word, she became weaker and weaker, then blacked out.

* * *

As Lydia was beginning to come to, panic burned it's way through her body once again. Please, dear God, please don't let me be catatonic. She cautiously tried to open her eyes, pleasantly surprised when both of her eyelids opened at her command. Around the room stood Nurse Cross and Orderly Schrader, as well some other people that Lydia didn't recognize. In the middle of the room, sitting right in front of I can move, why let me?

"What happened Lydia?" Aiden asked.

"When?"

"When it all started. Tell me, what is happening out there?" It felt Like Aiden was pleading with her.

"Where do I start?" She whispered, before the rational side of her could stop her.

"Start with that night. The night before senior year." He smiled.

"There was a huge storm. Parrish went on a call, a noise complaint. Something attacked him. The power was going out everywhere, and all of our phones were losing signal. I was at the school, waiting for the others. Eventually, they all showed up, but Scott was attacked. They said that he had glowing talons. Parrish said that it felt like the talons were sucking the life out of him. Scott and Kira fought, but he was winning. Then, Theo showed up and saved Scott. The creature knocked Theo out and shoved his claws into Scott's chest. The claws, with whatever power they had, didn't kill Scott. Scott stood up and broke his talons and he fled. Then, they all met me at the school and we attended the Senior Scribe." Lydia finished, reciting the events in an almost robotic fashion.

"Then what happened?" Aiden asked.

"I know you're not Aiden." She blurted before she could stop herself, "He's dead. I can feel that you're not him… you're alive."

Aiden smiled, "You're right." Things began to blur outside of her vision, and suddenly, Valack was in front of her. "Very smart Lydia. Now tell me, what else has happened?"

"I… I… don't… remember," Lydia stuttered as images of the past few weeks rushed through her mind.

"Well my dear, the catatonia may have affected your memory. That's why I have something to help you," he smiled, pulling a drill from out of Lydia's view, "Trepanation, the art of drilling into your patient's skulls."

The drill whirled to life, the annoying buzzing sound filled the room, and it moved closer and closer to Lydia's head. "No! Please!" Lydia shouted. Panic fueled her body and she struggled against her restraints. As it got within less than an inch of her head, the same feeling as before came over her. Turning her head towards Valack and the drill, Lydia let out a low scream and the same ripples of energy came out as before, throwing Valack into the wall and giving her the strength to tear free. Instead of enjoying the moment, a voice rang through her mind, He's helping you. It's okay. Help him help you. You're on the same side. The clarity of the voice was startling. Lydia was so used to struggling to hear what they were saying, only catching snippets, and working from there. For the first time ever, the whisper was perfectly audible for her.

Valack recovered and stared at her. "How did you…. What did they do to you?" He grasped for composure, only to fall short. He gazed at Lydia in awe. "This is incredible… You're incredible…"

"What do you want from me?" Lydia asked, better to catch him before he can compose himself again.

"I want your help Lydia. I need your help, and you need mine."

"How so?"

"The Doctors are trying to get in. The supernatural creatures downstairs are too enticing for them to resist. I need them dead."

"And how do I fit into this?"

"You are the key to stopping them my dear. Their own creation will be used against them." He grinned in anticipation.

"Own creation? What are you talking about?" Dread filled Lydia, there was no way this was going to be pretty.

"You still haven't had your memory, have you? I can help with that. I can tell you how to defeat them… for a price." He tilted his head downwards, and the lights casted shadows over his face making him look more evil than ever.

Deal with the devil for freedom, Lydia considered, weighing her options, or stay here and suffer. Every bone in her body warned her that freedom wouldn't be worth whatever price she had to pay, but she could still feel that her friends were in danger and no one could save them but her. "I'll do it. If and only if, whatever price you have in mind does not involve my friends."

Valack sat still for a moment, mulling it over. "Deal." He said curtly and held his hand out. Lydia took it feeling defeated and exhilarated at the same time. "Now, go rest. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow."

* * *

Lydia sat quietly in Valack's office. She listened to the clock ticking on the wall, while taking in the small room. The desk stood in the center, cluttered with what looked to be months of paperwork sprawled on every possible place. The computer was completely outdated and seemed to be on the verge of dying. The door on the other side of the room burst open, and Valack walked in, seating himself across from Lydia. "Sorry to keep you my dear, but I've only been running this place for a few days now so there's still much to fix."

"What's in the other room?" Lydia asked, her thirst for knowledge already getting the best of her.

"Let's just say that room is where we hold the records of those like you." His smile seemed genuine, as if he loved showing off his knowledge. Interesting, Lydia thought, This might actually be an opportunity.

"Okay, so how'd you come to be in charge? Last time I saw you, you were in the most guarded cell here."

"Well, a certain banshee let me use her scream to shatter my cell wall. Thank you by the way." He's out because of me? "Unfortunately, your heroic actions came a little too late because the Doctors caught me before I could escape. They took my eye and killed the guy in charge of this place. After seeing the utter disarray, I thought it only fitting that I run it since I can't exactly leave." He stated, "I simply am staying put until they're dead and you get my eye back." He smiled, slowly removing the bandages on his head, and revealing an empty hole in his head. Disgusting.

"You want me to get your eye back?" She asked, confused more than ever.

"Yes. That's my price. You defeat the Dread Doctors and bring back my eye. I think you'll be more than capable of that."

"How is the eye gonna help you? I mean, if they took it, aren't they using it?" Lydia inquired.

"It is true that they took my eye, but they can't use it… yet. You see, they don't know how to activate it."

"What do you mean activate?"

"Let me tell you a story Lydia. I am what is best referred to as a Seer of sorts. It is a rare ability among humans, mostly due to the amount of training that is necessary to even activate it. Usually, it exists as a metaphor, a way to explain an ability such as clairvoyance or what some people call 'enlightenment'. However, I was different. It literally felt like there was another eye inside of me. I knew more than I should, understood things in ways no one else could even grasp; but I also spent many nights in agonizing pain. The eye would show me things, horrible, disgusting things. Have you ever considered what it must feel like to be a kanima? Forced to kill at someone's beck and call? I lived it. The eye showed me everything that the creature felt and it was horrifying." He paused a moment, Lydia couldn't tell if he was hurting or if it was for dramatic effect. "Anyways, the Dread Doctors showed up one night. In the beginning, they were fascinated with the supernatural. That was it. I agreed to share everything I learned if they helped expose my third eye. Everything went well, they were able to drill the hole in my head and the eye was there. They were in awe."

"Why did they take it?" Lydia couldn't help but blurt out.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's considered rude to interrupt?" Valack scolded, "Everything was incredible. I learned that I could show people what I've seen, what they wanted to see, but also that some people couldn't recover from what I showed them. With this talent, I was able to pay my way through medical school via telling the Doctors whatever they wanted to know. Then, one night, everything got out of hand. They sat me down and told me that they wanted to experiment on me… to see that if maybe, just maybe, they could replicate my eye and share it with the world. I refused and they tried to detain me. Only, they didn't think that my eye could sense danger and warn me ahead of time. I escaped and left town."

"Are you implying that this could have all been avoided?" Lydia was astonished.

"Avoided? No. Postponed? Yes." He answered.

"How did you end up here?"

"They gave up on me after a few months, seeking more unsuspecting and stupid targets, such as shapeshifters. About a year after, they began experimenting on unsuspecting humans, attempting to create their own supernatural creatures. They would go from town to town, searching for chimeras. Once they figured out how to change humans, I began to keep track of them more often. In one town, they turned 8 teens, with no successes… the inspiration for my book." He smiled. "That little gem made quite a bit of money. However, I designed the book to be read on a subconscious level. It's written in a way that I designed to trigger the memories of anyone who has ever been affected by them. Once they found out about the book… Well, let's just say they weren't too pleased by it."

What did they do?"

"They came after me. I was on the run for a while, when I heard of Eichen House. A recently released patient told me everything about it, how it's protected from the outside and on the inside by telluric currents. I knew that they couldn't get to me there, so I got myself admitted."

"But you were in the most guarded cell… why?"

"Well, when you share a cell, one of you has to have dominance, it's the way of the small minded. Many supernatural creatures think of themselves as the apex predator, and I am not exactly what they considered supernatural. If they attacked, I would defend myself. I used my third eye to essentially render them immobile. It has the capability of showing you what you want to see, but it can also draw you in. If your conscious isn't strong enough, you can be trapped and let's face it, most of what's kept downstairs won't be winning any prizes for their intelligence anytime soon."

Lydia's head was whirling, this was so much information to take in. FOCUS. "What does this have to do with us? With now? With me?"

"My story relates to now, Lydia. I want you to understand that I'm not the bad guy here. I want to help you, but I also need my eye back. It's a part of me."

"I'll get it back for you, but why did they want it?"

"To implant it into a chimera. The only problem is that they don't know how it accesses my brain. They want me, they need me in order for them to figure it out. Only, figuring it out means I die. Here, I'm protected, out there, I'm dead."

"Okay, I understand. I get why they're here, I know where they came from, I understand what they're doing. What I don't understand is why I haven't had my memory of them yet. I thought it was when I was in the hospital, but if that isn't it, then what is?" Lydia was mostly thinking out loud. She was stunned when Valack came around his desk and sat next to her. Every moment spent with him was making Lydia doubt everything she ever thought about him.

"What you had was most likely a part of someone else's. A banshee is an auditory creature, it hears things. When they targeted your friends, they were targeting the core of their power, what makes each of you a supernatural creature." Valack began to explain.

"What you're saying is that I haven't had my memory but I do remember something and that something belongs to someone else? And that they were essentially attacking the thing that makes me a banshee?" Lydia never considered this possibility and it terrified her. She felt as if she had been violated… again. I can't even control myself, how were they able to figure it out? These things know more about me than I do myself.

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying", Valack seemed animated. It seemed as if sharing this with her was exciting, as if he was sharing a secret. "I'm going to help you get that memory back."

"How? I already tried reading the book. I only caught glimpses." I thought we just went over this…

"You read the book, but you never had someone read it to you. The book associates with your subconscious. You reading wouldn't fully work because there are voices in your sub-conscience. You need to hear it, you need to feel it, and more than likely, you'll need to scream." He finished.

"That's genius!" Lydia was amazed that she was admitting this. She couldn't fully trust Valack, but this idea had never occurred to her or Stiles. It made perfect sense. Plus, it would probably help to fluff his ego.

"What can I say, I am pretty smart." He beamed. If anything about him that he said was true, then Valack wasn't a bad person at all. He seemed to be excited, as if this was the first time ever shared anything about himself. "Let's get started." He pulled a copy of his book from a shelf right next to his seat. "Come with me."

He led Lydia down the hallway, to a room that she had never noticed before. Pushing the door open, Lydia was astounded to find that this room was bare, completely empty. Valack gestured for her to go first. The floor felt soft and gushy beneath Lydia's feet, like she was walking on pillows. Then realization hit her, OH SHIT! She reached around for the door, but it was already closed behind her. Lydia rushed to the door, pounding against it, "VALACK! VALACK, LET ME OUT!" Panic was coursing through her veins and Lydia could not for a second believe that she would ever allow herself to trust him this much.

"CALM DOWN!" His voice echoed through the room over an intercom. "Just breathe. This is just a safety precaution. After what you did to my poor drill, I didn't want to take any chances." He began to explain.

"I… want… out!" Lydia said evenly.

"I'm reading the book to you. You need to know what they did." Valack continued, "Once we're done, you'll be let out. Remember Lydia, we have to trust each other. We need each other."

Lydia's breathing returned to normal as she accepted her fate. She sank to the ground, and closed her eyes. "I'm ready." She spoke, slightly louder just in case he couldn't hear her. Then, he began reading…

After twenty minutes, the words began to have a trance-like effect on Lydia. The book became the center of Lydia's existence, it connected to her on some sort of level that she couldn't describe. It was as if the book had soothing effect to it. With each murder that Valack read, she began to feel more and more calm. Her mind began to feel different, memories were swirling around it, and it felt like she was going back in time. Suddenly, faster than ever before, Lydia needed to scream. It wasn't one that she could hold in, it wasn't one that she could just feel, it wasn't one that she could ever fight. It felt as if her brain was about to burst as the scream raced through her lungs, clawing its way out of her mouth. Lydia felt as if this was the most powerful scream she had ever experienced, more painful than Allison's. Then, a bright white light flashed in front of her eyes, and it felt as if her mind had been unlocked. The she saw everything.

* * *

It was early in the afternoon on the stormy day of Senior Scribe. Lydia was sitting at her desk, applying make-up. Suddenly, she began to feel uneasy. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and every fiber of her being told her to run. Lydia rushed across the room to grab her bag, then headed out of the door. Downstairs, she went to the kitchen to leave a note for her mom. Once she finished it, Lydia began to head for the door, when a bolt of lightning cascaded down in front of her window, illuminating a tall, shadowy figure in her yard and knocking out the power.

Lydia pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed 911, only, there was no signal. She began to panic, "MMMOOOOOMMMMM!" There was no reply. Please, dear God, let her be okay. Lydia bounded up the stairs, This was seriously the dumbest thing I could've done. Too late now. Adrenaline was racing through her veins as she stopped at her mom's door. BAM. Something slammed in Lydia's head then, everything went black.

Slowly, piece by piece, Lydia began to come to. Her whole body felt numb. She opened her eyes, gazing up into bright, robotic eyes. Standing over her were abnormally tall things in clunky metal armor. They were mumbling in some strange, robotic voice. "Condition….. Abnormal." Abnormal? What the hell do they mean?

Lydia lifted her head to see what they were doing. She was stunned to see that her chest was cut open and she didn't feel a thing. "No…. Please… Stop…. Please." Tears welled up in her eyes. The sight of her internal organs was the most traumatic thing to ever happen to her. Her brain was frozen, the shock rendered her incapable of processing everything in front of her.

"Condition stable" One said. It was holding a bloody scalpel, preparing to make another incision.

"Wh…what… are you… doing… to me?" Lydia gasped out.

"Need to know how you operate. Need it." Another said, looking at something outside of Lydia's vision.

"Need what?"

"Larynx. Just a piece." Larynx? As in my voice box? Confusion rushed through Lydia. What does that even mean?

Lydia could hear something being cut. Then, the one with the scalpel pulled it up. She was staring at her own voice box in utter disbelief. It handed her larynx over to the third one and it walked away. After a few minutes, it returned with her what looked like her larynx in it's hands, but it was still whole. The first one took it and put it back into place. Then, sewed her up. She laid there in silence the entire time, unable to process what happened.

"You know what to do." The one who took and returned with her larynx said to the one out of sight.

"Yes."

"It has to be done right now if she is to be on time. We can't have suspicion yet." The one with scalpel reminded it.

"Yes." It responded. Lydia felt cold, metallic hands wrap around her neck, then a sharp twist. Everything went black and the life left Lydia's body. It injected some sort of concoction from a tube into her neck then carried her out of the door.

Lydia woke up in her car screaming. Her neck was sore and her chest hurt. Taking in her surroundings, she realized she was parked at the school. Every part of her knew that something horrible had happened, but she just couldn't remember. It must have been a dream. That's it, just a dream. Lydia convinced herself while she touched up her make-up. Then, she got out of the car and went to meet her friends.

* * *

Lydia snapped out of her trance. Her face was soaking wet from a mixture of sweat and tears. Oh my God. What did they do to me? Lydia had been feeling off over the past few weeks but she just thought it was stress or fear, nothing more. Lydia was feeling so many different emotions all at once, that she didn't even realize that she was being held. Looking behind her, she was shocked to find Valack.

"I know that must've been hard." He whispered. There was so much concern in his eyes that Lydia couldn't help but feel comforted. In that moment, she decided to trust him.

"I don't understand. I was dead. They killed me. How am I alive?" Lydia choked out, continuing to cry.

"What? Tell me everything!" He was in utter shock but Lydia saw the glint in his eyes. It felt like he had a thirst for knowledge, to know everything about everyone. Lydia briefly weighed her options, but she did decide to trust him a moment ago, so she told him everything she had seen.

"Partially because you are a banshee but mostly because they injected you with a concoction. I don't know what's in it, but I do know that it somehow activates the supernatural ability implanted within. That's why you're alive" He explained her questions.

"I saw Theo inject the dead chimeras with it and they came back, does this mean that I'm a chimera too?" She fearfully asked. She dreaded asking but needed to know.

"No. That is one supernatural law that cannot be broken. You can't change what you are. They did do something though. I need to tell you something." Guilt rang through Valack's voice.

"What?"

"On your first night, when we sedated you to make sure you slept, I had x-rays done. I needed to know if you were okay on the inside before we began treatment. We noticed an abnormality in your larynx."

"WHAT?" Lydia panicked, "You said that I'm not a chimera but I have an abnormality?"

"Yes, at first, I dismissed it. Then, I compared your x-ray to Meredith Walker's since you were both banshees, to see if it was similar. Hers was normal. So, I began to consider various possibilities. You are a banshee, meaning that you can't be changed but you were affected in some way. I know that they take parts from various supernatural creatures then let them go. They were using your larynx to try to create a banshee… I'm assuming at least."

"I follow, but I don't see how there's a way around this, I'm either a chimera or I'm not. If it's abnormally large then that would point towards me being a chimera." Lydia's temper was falling short. She didn't care about the whole explanation, only whether or not something was wrong with her.

"I was stumped." Valack admitted, "Then, you pulled your little escape stunt. Once you threw me out of my chair, I figured it out. They replaced a piece of your larynx with someone else's. That way, it wouldn't be detectable if you started to have dreams of that day. Only, something else happened. Your immunity seemed to reject that piece and restructured it to accommodate your body. You see Lydia, there's no way for you to avoid your abilities, but they hindered them with the larynx piece. Like your various wounds, whatever happens to you medically does heal and the immunity prevents any supernatural occurrences from happening within your body. This larynx had to belong to a supernatural creature, therefore your body prevented and corrected it. In the process, it somehow activated something else inside of you, an ability that is so rare that almost no one knows about it. It seems that your scream now has the capability of generating some type of energy to protect you."

Lydia's jaw hit the floor. Everything he said made perfect sense to her. She felt slightly different the past few weeks but not unlike herself. If her body was recovering from what happened, and her voice box had somehow changed, then the feeling she had was justified. "What about when I died? Why am I healed? I have no scars."

"You never have scars Lydia, your body heals them for you, like your bite from Peter or the kanima tail. Right now, you need to rest." Valack explained but shut her down before she could ask follow-up questions. "What you just went through was an incredibly draining process. If I'm going to let you go tomorrow, I need you well rested." He smiled at her.

"Out? I get to leave?" Lydia was stunned, it didn't seem right. She knew that there were procedures that they had to go through if she was ever officially a patient here.

"Yes. Other than what the Doctors did to you, you seem fine. You're an exceptional person, Lydia. I knew it from the first time I saw you." He seemed genuine, but Lydia couldn't tell for sure, "After everything that you've been through, I'm amazed that you're still alive."

"How am I supposed to defeat them?" Lydia was genuinely confused.

"I'll explain tomorrow." He replied and left, this time, leaving the door wide open for her. She headed back to her room. No use trying to escape if I'm leaving tomorrow. She laid in her bed, noticing that someone had replaced the lights she shattered. As she mulled everything over in her mind, piecing everything she could together, her mind couldn't stop drifting to the irritatingly adorable reaction Stiles would have when he saw her again. Then, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Lydia sat casually in Valack's office once again. This time, instead of a patient's outfit, she was back in the clothes that she wore when she arrived. Lydia never realized how amazing it felt to be able to wear your own clothes. Lost in thought, she didn't even notice Valack walk in and take his seat until he awkwardly cleared his throat. "Sorry, I was just thinking." She explained. Please don't think that I'm not ready.

"I figured, we learned a lot together yesterday." He smiled, seeming to dismiss the moment entirely.

"Yeah," Lydia nervously replied, "it was definitely eye opening."

"Anyways, down to business. The reason why I brought you here when I could've let you die." He chuckled. Lydia smiled, So not funny.

"What do my friends and I need to do?" She asked.

"You see Lydia, banshees aren't just seen as harbingers of death. They also have an incredibly unique ability, one that makes them priceless. Like druids, banshees have a special ability, they can enter the Otherworld, aka the land of the dead. That is how you see the death before it happens. Not only can a banshee enter this land, but they can retrieve souls, bringing back the dead but only once."

"Like I did with Peter?" Lydia asked, memories of her lowest point in life flooding in her mind.

"Sort of. You did bring him back, but you needed an alpha to give him enough power to recover and someone with a strong connection to him."

"How do you know this?" Lydia couldn't figure it out.

"I shared a cell with him," Valack said in a menacing voice, "He showed me everything." A smile flashed across his face, "Now he was a piece of work."

"What did you do to him?" Lydia had some burning desire to know, hoping that maybe he was dead for good.

"Nothing really, he came at me so I showed him my eye. I saw what he saw and then he was taken out the next day before I woke up. My best guess is that he's immobile like the others." Valack confessed.

"If I've brought someone back, then I can do it again?"

"Technically no. You can bring back one person, who died of the supernatural and was someone that you were connected to." Valack began to explain, "However, you're unique Lydia. The Doctors killed you, which means that your life was over. Then, they brought you back, giving you new life. By bringing you back and granting you new life, it's almost as if you're a new banshee, meaning that you should be able to do it again."

"How am I supposed to do it? Last time, I was haunted by the man who mauled me until I agreed to drug my friends and bring him back." Lydia tried to hold in her attitude, but that wasn't exactly something she was willing to experience again.

"Go to the Nemeton. Bring your friends and bring back someone who fits the category. You have to sit on it, draw power from it, while the others stand in a circle around you. One has to stay behind and be your tether. If you can go and bring someone back, your friends will go and when you come back, they will too."

"What do I do to get there and back?"

"Think about that person and they'll appear to you in the Otherworld. You'll know what to do after." He said cryptically.

"How does that help?"

"The Doctors will want that person. Someone resurrected by the supernatural will draw them out. They'll want to test them, even if they know it's a trap. Their thirst for supernatural knowledge will drive them to taking that risk."

"So basically, whoever comes back is bait. Wonderful."

"The rest will be up to you Lydia. When they come for them, you'll know what to do."

"How do you know that?" Lydia was beyond confused.

"I've seen it." He smiled. "Now leave. That's all I can tell you."

"What? That's it? Really?"

"Yep. If I didn't need you or know you, I'd let you suffer here for a while. But, you can go. We're done here." Lydia stood up and went to the door. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. "Just remember Lydia, once this is over, I get my eye back. Don't forget to bring it to me. I'll know when they died. You'll have twenty-four hours from then."

Lydia got up to leave, "Thank you." She said, sincerely meaning every ounce of it.

"Lydia? One more thing. Here's a note. It has information about the Otherworld and how it operates." He handed her a folded up piece of paper. "Read it sooner rather than later, it'll have instructions. I can't risk just telling you, so I wrote them down."

Lydia accepted the paper and nodded, then closed the door behind her. She ran through the halls to the front doors, opening them on the most incredible sunset she had ever seen. Once at the gate, she paused. Where do I go? Her mother wouldn't let her out of her sight for days. Scott would be the obvious choice, but she wasn't ready to see him yet. Malia and Kira, if she were back, could work but there was a different kind of friendship there. Stiles. It had to be Stiles, he always supported her and accepted whatever choice she made.

After a twenty minute walk, interrupted on when she stopped to read Valack's note, Lydia stood at Stiles' door, terrified. What do I tell him? What can I even say? This was such a stupid idea. The door burst open, revealing a spastic Stiles clamoring to hold onto the various objects in his hands. As he looked up to walk out the door, everything fell from his hands. He stood, frozen, for nearly a minute. "Hi Stiles." This is the best you can come up with? Lydia began to scold herself. You've been gone for days and this is the best you can do! Pathetic!

Finally, Stiles composed himself, "L….L….Lydia?" He seemed so stunned to see her.

"The one and only." Lydia said, attempting a smile.

"What…Where…How did you…." He flung his arms in the air. "I've been searching for days for you and here you are. Seriously?!" He flustered, unable to process anything. "It doesn't matter. You're here, you're alive." Then, Stiles did the one thing Lydia never expected, he grabbed her, pulling her tight to his body and kissed her. It was the most incredible feeling, Lydia felt like she was seeing fireworks. He was soft and gentle with her, but also strong and protective. Lydia felt fire racing through her veins, her body screaming for more, she NEEDED more.

Suddenly, Stiles pulled away. "Did you just let me kiss you?" For a second time, he was stunned. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop myself. Couldn't help it."

"Are you still with Malia?" Lydia asked, suddenly remembering that Stiles was supposed to be off limits. He had watched so many relationships between her and others, it was her turn to watch his.

"No, we broke up a few days ago." He mumbled.

"Then, kiss me again." She smiled. He leaned in and she felt like she was back in Wonderland. Lydia was craving the attention, more importantly, she was craving Stiles. Something about him had always thrown Lydia off. She had always felt like she had to guard herself around him, as if he could see through her façade. He did. He brought Lydia out of her shell, he was always there for her, he always knew what to say. He seemed perfect and that had always terrified her. Only until Mexico did she realize all of those feelings were love.

* * *

Lydia was laying in Stiles' bed. They both were panting, sweat pouring from their bodies. That was the best sex I've ever had. She was beginning to feel as if Eichen had been nothing but a bad dream. Here, with Stiles, she felt as if her life had been a horrible nightmare that she finally awoke from.

"I hope that was…. Okay." Stiles said, breaking their silence.

Lydia couldn't help but giggle, "It wasn't the worst," she teased. Stiles looked completely disappointed for a moment, surprising her when he smacked her with a pillow. "Ow, why'd you do that?"

"You left me. I've done nothing but search for you and then you show up at my door and seduce me! What the hell is wrong with you?" Stiles was beyond angry and Lydia knew that she couldn't avoid telling him the truth.

"I'll explain everything, tomorrow. I'll tell everyone everything that happened. For now, tell Scott that I'm fine, not to worry. Tell him to have everyone here in the morning, there isn't time to repeat myself. After that, turn your phone off. I just want you to hold me while I sleep." Lydia instructed.

"Lydia, he's going to want to…"

"STILES!" Lydia snapped, "Scott died the other night, I felt it. I know that everything's going to shit. I get that. We can't do anything else until tomorrow night." Lydia vented. "I know what Scott wants but I don't care. We can play catch up tomorrow. Right now, I'm exhausted. I just want you to hold me while I sleep… please." Tears were streaming down her face, she was begging to not have to face everyone yet.

"Fine. Tomorrow." Stiles relented, "I'm sorry." He called Scott, gave the message, then hung up. "Tomorrow it is." He said, turning off his phone. He wrapped his arms around her body and Lydia began to drift off into sleep. In his arms, she felt completely safe and for the first time in days, she slept through the night.


	2. The Otherworld

Lydia clutched Stile's hand in a death grip, terrified she gazed around the pack. She had to do this, for all of those she lost, this was her time to avenge them. It was her turn to contribute to the pack, no more just finding dead bodies, no more being constantly attacked, but most importantly, no more being just a liability. Looking at each of her friends, she turns to face Scott. _He's lost so much, this past month has destroyed him,_ she thought in dismay.

"Lydia, are you sure you want to do this?" Scott asked as his usual look of concern returned to his face for just a brief moment. In that moment, she saw a piece of the old Scott, the one who would never let her do what she had to, the one who only cared about making sure everyone got out alive, the who cared more about those around him than himself.

"I have to do this. What the Dread Doctors did, re-awakened this ability. We are only supposed to be able to do this once and Peter forced me to use it on him," she began, grim determination resonating in her voice, "but Dr. Valack said that this the best way to defeat them."

"Yes Lydia, let's listen to the man who basically held you captive in Eichen House, that sounds like a great idea" Stiles began with his usual amount of sarcasm, "also I'd like to add…."

"Stiles!" Lydia snapped, "We talked about this last night. I have to try, you and I both know that." He opened his mouth to say more, but she continued, "I don't know how this will work or what will happen. I don't exactly remember last time. This is something that I need to do, for the most part, on my own; but I also need a tether," she looked up at Stiles, and began to pull away from him, "Stiles, that's why I need you here. I also need protection. Dr. Valack said that there are things attracted to the Nemeton, things that were never alive, let alone human. That's why I need the rest of you, I need you to fend them off for as long as possible."

"How are we supposed to see them?" Malia interjected before she could continue. Lydia couldn't believe Stiles would let go of Malia to be with her. Even now, as Malia stood there, an aura of wild beauty surrounding her, Lydia could feel sadness emanating from her. _I don't understand how he could let go of such an incredible woman_ , Lydia thought to herself, _Especially for someone as broken and damaged as me._

"This will work kind of like a séance; because the one who is most susceptible to the afterlife enters a trance-like state and is able to enter to enter a place the druids call the Otherworld. It's called journeying. We have to call out to the one we want to see and if her soul is still here, she has to come. The problem is that it will be like we're on speaker phone, everyone and everything in the area can hear us and answer our call."

"Okay, I'm pretty sure I can take anything that comes my way, but HOW do I see what's coming,? I mean, I can't exactly see dead people, let alone something that was never even alive." Malia interrupted yet again. Lydia couldn't help but notice how tense Malia had become. She was afraid of something, Lydia could sense it in her stance, the way she was staring off into the line of trees as if anticipating an attack.

"Don't worry Malia, I was just getting to that." Lydia began, _this won't work unless she can calm down,_ "Dr. Valack said that one of the core beliefs that all druids share is that of the Otherworld. Essentially, this place is believed to be a realm that exists alongside ours and is where we go when we die. Those who come back from death were not meant to die, therefore are seen as visitors, thus only able to possibly catch glimpses into it. That's how Scott, Stiles, and Allison were able to find the Nemeton. They gave it just enough power that it was able to reveal it's location. They just had to travel to the Otherworld to see it because of its limited power. However, as a banshee, I have a strong connection to death, meaning that I can travel there and back. Valack said that The Dread Doctors are messing with something that they don't understand, that they are breaking supernatural laws. The supernatural world is thrown in disarray right now because of their actions, which was why Parrish was drawn here. Now, the Nemeton has enough power to do something about them, thanks to Parrish. It needs a catalyst though, which is why we are here. We are helping the Nemeton right now by being its catalyst, meaning that it will help protect us because we are trying to bring back the supernatural laws. Normally, I could only do this alone, but there is enough power for all of us to go. The Nemeton is going to allow us into the Otherworld and allow us to see in it."

"Okay, you've explained this to me multiple times, but I fail to see how Dr. Valack, the one who we visited in a maximum security psych ward for supernatural creatures that are too dangerous to even be in the general public, knows everything that you're telling us. Lydia the guy is insane and we don't even know where he stands or what he did to be locked up! Why the hell are you trusting him?!" Stiles finally exploded. _I'm shocked he kept it in this long._ She stared at him, taking in each mole as the redness faded from his face, the desperate look on his face, and the way his body seemed to gravitate towards her. _How did I never not notice him?_

"Stiles, believe it or not, what Valack did was good for me. I know so much more about who I am and how to control myself when the banshee side of me takes over. I don't expect you to understand, at least not right away. I am thankful for what he did for me, even if he's only using me to defeat the Dread Doctors. I can trust him because the Doctors destroyed his everything. He claims they're the reason he was locked up. He wants revenge, but if he leaves Eichen, he's dead. They took his third eye, but that's not enough for the Doctors, they need his brain. His eye is useless to them until they can learn how he used it and how it affects his mind. He's on our side… for now."

"Lydia it's not enough. I can't have you risk everything on him..." Stiles began again.

Then, from across the clearing, Kira, who had remained dead silent the entire time, finally spoke, "Stiles she has to do this. Stop being stupid. Do you remember how you had to be there when the Nogitsune took her, even though you were basically dying? You had to do that. You had to make sure she was okay. She would have never let you go if she had known you were on your deathbed. That's how she feels about this. Look at her, you're not gonna dissuade her. You know that no one can tell Lydia what to do. Stop fighting her and support her." She finished, making sure to enunciate each word so that her point was clear. Lydia was thankful for Kira's support, especially when she was willing to accept and defend her decision.

Stiles opened up his mouth to argue, but Scott stopped him, "You know that everything has changed since they've come to town. We need to stop them so we can fix our mess. I know I haven't been the leader you all thought I was and because of that we've all kept our secrets." He looked at each person individually, "We need the secrets to stop. We need to go back to what we were before, a pack. None of us could fight them because we allowed Theo to isolate us, and that's my fault. I shouldn't have trusted him. But now, he's dead. I killed him. I did what I had to do. We can fight the Doctors directly now, especially if Lydia can make this happen." Scott finished, tears welling up in his eyes. _I have no idea how he's keeping it together right now. He lost so much and hasn't even had time to process everything._

"Scott, this is Lydia. Do you realize what we are helping her do? I know you want to see her, but is it worth risking Lydia?" Stiles pleaded.

"I know what we're doing. I know how risky it is, we did it when we had to find the Nemeton. It's not my choice. I'd never force her to do this, but Stiles she's gonna do it whether or not we're here. At least this way, we can protect." Scott shot back.

"I never got to say goodbye Stiles." Lydia's voice was nearly silent, "I felt the sword go through her. I felt the life leaving her body and I couldn't be there. I stayed behind to help you. I don't care if it works, as long as I see her. You say you lost your best friend, but he's standing in front of you, willing to work through everything. Mine died because I failed to protect her. I… need… this." Tears welled up in Lydia's eyes as she choked the last words out.

"Fine." Stiles finally relented, "But if we all die, it's totally your fault and I'm not taking you to prom." The sarcasm in his voice was grating Lydia's last nerve.

"Come closer," She said, and once within reach, she kissed him. It was soft and sweet, his body against hers seemed to melt away all the apprehension she had. As she pulled away, she whispered, "Bitch, you'd be lucky if I would ever consider going to prom with you" and winked. She turned to face the rest and took a breath, "Let's begin".

Lydia took her place atop the Nemeton. The cool trunk underneath her seemed to vibrate at her touch, as if expecting her. The others, Scott, Kira, and Malia, all joined hands around her. Stiles stood inside the circle, hands clasped on her shoulders, grounding her to the tree but also comforting her. _They have no idea that if I mess up, I'm dead._ As quickly as the thought came, she squashed it. _I am Lydia Martin. I am a genius who will win the Field's Medal and have a successful career. I am a banshee. It's my turn to contribute to the pack. I can do this… as long as my friends are here._ "Now everyone focus. Focus on Allison. We all interacted with her. See her face. Feel her presence around you. Think of your fondest memory. Focus your will on her, will her to stand in front of you." Lydia instructed.

Kira's thoughts sailed back to fighting the twins and Isaac. How well they worked together, how proud she was after the fight, and how Allison hugged her and thanked her for saving her life.

Stiles went back to the first time she kissed Scott. How she wasn't freaked out when he showed up, but instead how giddy and happy she was, how big she smiled, and how he saw Scott watch her go. He was so happy she existed for his best friend.

Malia went back to when she found Scott. How he welcomed her but wasn't what she expected. How Allison pulled her aside and whispered, "Don't be nervous. We all have done things we aren't proud of. He doesn't care, he still wants to help you. Just relax, you could totally take him if you needed to." With those words and a wink, something inside Malia snapped, _maybe I can be human,_ she thought with a smile.

Scott went back to her 17th birthday. How incredible it was to be with the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. How she flirted with him, told him the things that she didn't ever want to tell anyone, and how amazing it felt when she brushed up against him, how he never wanted that day to end.

Lydia thought of how Allison was always there for her. How best friend took on an entirely new meaning to Lydia with Allison around. How she was always trying to protect her, the hunter and the banshee. How she comforted Lydia when Jackson left. Most importantly how she changed Lydia, showing her that she can be beautiful and smart. She thought about how much she loved Allison, and felt it.

It was like an adrenaline rush, the stump beneath her began to hum, and she could feel electricity in the air. Everything began to blur, and it felt like everything around Lydia was suddenly a shade darker. Then everything stopped, and she slowly opened her eyes. Everything around the group, seemed tragically beautiful, the trees here were full and the clearing was littered with various kinds of flowers, but the sadness of the whole scene, life in death, was palpable in the air. Moreover, Lydia could feel a tingling inside of her, the same one she felt the night she was forced to resurrect Peter. It was then that she realized that she did it.

All around her, the pack seemed to slowly but surely open their eyes and realize where they were. Scott was first, seeming a bit shaken to be back. Then Malia came, the awe in her eyes, flecked with fear, slowly becoming dark with determination. Then Kira, her face slowly transforming into a wide smile as she hugged Scott, excited that it was working. Stiles wasn't there. He was doing his part, keeping Lydia grounded where she belonged. It made Lydia apprehensive that she couldn't grab him for comfort, but she could feel his hands on her shoulders and the warmth of his touch emanated through her body.

"Now what?" Malia asked. Her voice was low, as if she was fighting to keep it level. _What are you so afraid of?_ Lydia thought, but she couldn't focus on it right now. She had to keep her mind on Allison.

"I don't really know," Lydia admitted, "I figured she'd be here waiting. Peter kind of took over this part. We can't leave clearing though, otherwise we won't ever be able to come back. All we can really do is call for her."

"What about if Scott howls?" Kira suggested. "You and Lydia were the closest to her out of all of us. She must've heard you howl multiple times. She loved you, so hearing it could be what draws her here."

"No!" Malia grabbed Scott as he opened his mouth. "Think about it. Who is the one that brought us here? Lydia." She began, obviously thinking out loud, "She was always close to Allison, from the beginning. Plus, I'm sure there's a ton of things that howl out here. But what about screaming? No one can scream like Lydia. I can always hear her scream, no matter what. Lydia's screams are unique, and that was something Allison heard when she was stabbed. I think that Allison would be drawn to a sound that she heard before she died."

Scott shrugged his shoulders, "Good point. I think that's the best idea. Everything seems to be connected to Lydia right now. If this is something she is supposed to be able to do on her own, then what Malia says makes sense." He turned to face Lydia, "Go ahead Lydia, scream."

Lydia could feel it in her gut. The burning desire to just scream and drown everything out, the aching in her lungs that came with each breath, and the way every sound seemed to be amplified around her, pounding some part inside of her head that she wasn't aware of a second ago. It made sense that it had to be her. "Cover your ears," she warned. Taking in as much air she could, she focused on the part of her head that ached, _ALLISON_ flashed in her mind, and the part of her stomach where Allison was stabbed began to ache. _Please work._ Once she could no longer hold it, her scream ripped through her body. Every part of Lydia was aching, as she forced the air out of her: "AAAAAALLLLLLLIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNN!" She held it for as long as possible, but eventually all the air she held in escaped. The pain went away as if it had never even been there and Lydia began to feel like herself again.

"Did it work?" Kira asked, looking around.

Voices echoed throughout the landscape, anguished screams filled the air, followed by howls of maniacal glee, guttural noises erupted all around them, barely even sounding remotely human. "I don't know, but we definitely announced our arrival." Malia answered.

The brush around the clearing began to rustle, Lydia could sense that someone was coming. She turned around just in time to see it. Emerging from the brush came a familiar sight, a bow with an arrow pulled tight, ready to be released at the first sign of trouble. Pale hands came next, covered by the leather gloves Allison always wore when she expected a fight, then the rest of her, still draped in the clothes she was wearing the night she died. Her purple shirt was torn at various places, jeans were shredded around her ankles, her jacket was frayed along the edges. Her face was as beautiful as Lydia could remember, her fair complexion complimented by her dark, wavy hair, her dark eyes glinting in the moonlight, mouth drawn tight. She looked exhausted, as if she hadn't slept in days. As she edged her way out the clearing, two more people followed. "Oh my god," Lydia whispered.


End file.
